Flying with small children

Re: i need some advise on flying
Asked by lady-voodoo

Question:
 

Hi i need some advise on flying i have never been in a plane before and iam scared of heights can some people give me adivse. Also iam taking 2 kids

1 is 3 years old and the other is 16 months its going to be a long plane trip how do i keep my kids in there seats with out them cracking them shits and keep them occuiped and happy. Please help!

My Advice:

I have flown with a small child in the last few months & I too am scared of heights. I have been flying long distance (& short distance) for many years - do not worry about the heights issue, you won't even realise you are in the air most of the time.
 

1. Ask your travel agent to arrange for seats that have the baby bassinet or are near the bulkheads, this gives you more leg room for the children to scatter their things around and to stand up without upsetting the passengers in front.

2. Ask your travel agent to arrange children's meals for the flight. Not all airlines supply these, but many do & they have fun extras like kids plates and cutlery that keep them amused. In saying that - take along your own food for the children too, as they may not like what is served on the plane & may want to eat at a time that is not consistent with the airlines meal schedule.

3. Maintain your routines. If you are flying of an evening then pack your child's pj's, toothbrush, bedtime buddy etc., and make a point of heading to the bathroom after dinner to clean teeth, get ready for bed etc. Then back in the seat snuggle down & encourage them to sleep.

4. Make a point of chatting with the staff on board the plane, most are decent people who will give you a hand in looking after one child while you take the other to the bathroom etc., Also introduce yourself & your children to the people sitting directly around you, you may find a helper amongst them & at least you've made an effort & they can't say anything about you being rude etc.

5. Make sure you have enough activities to keep the children occupied, colouring books, little cars, games, books to read, some of their favourites & some new things.

6. Do not allow the stress & worry to overwhelm you, children pick up on this & will either become stressed & worried themselves, or worse use this against you & play up. Try to remain calm. Invest in some homeopathic calming formula for yourself & the children, there are a number of very good ones available on the market, ask your local pharmacist or health food shop to recommend.

7. Be very organised - know where your tickets & passports & other travel documents are at all times. If you are organised there is one less thing to go wrong.

Look forward to your destination, but also to the adventure you are about to undertake with your children. Find at least one good thing in the whole experience to share with the children when they get older & want to talk about the adventures you have had as a family.